Safety pin



y 11, 1944' J. w. HARPER SAFETYPIN Filed Dec. 15, 1945 Patented July 11, 1944 SAFETY PIN John W. Harper, Highlands North, Johannesburg,

Transvaal, Union of South Africa Application December 13, 1943, Serial No. 514,103

4 Claims.

This invention relates to safety pins, and has for the primary object the provision of a device of this character which besides embodying a conventional pin construction including a main bar and a spring influenced penetrating bar, also will be provided with an improved head construction acting as a guard for the penetrating bar and a locking means therefor and which may be easily and quickly adjusted for locking the penetrating bar against accidental opening or moving out of pinning position and may be readily positioned to free the penetrating bar whenever it is desired to remove or replace the pin.

With these and other objects in view as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating a safety pin constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, showing the head in full locking position.

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral 5 indicates the main bar or" the safety pin and 6 the penetrating bar. A coil spring portion 1 connects the penetrating bar to the main bar and which acts to normally urge the penetrating bar away from the main bar. The main bar 5 is ibent to form a hook shaped member 8 at one end thereof and has mounted thereon a head 9 consisting of a substantially U-sharped body portion It conforming to the contour of the hook shaped portion 8 of the main bar and a portion of the latter.

The connecting portion of the substantially U-shaped body of the head has a diameter much greater than the external diameter of the hook shaped portion 8 to permit the head to have slidthe latter is in a closed position and the head 9 in non-locking position. A guard lip or extension !2 is formed on the tubular end portion of the substantially U-shaped body and terminates 'between the keeper ears H requiring a slight lateral flexing of the penetrating bar before the latter can be removed from the keeper.

As the head 9 may be slid a limited distance on the bar 5 relative to the hook shaped end, said head may be caused to assume a position, as shown in Figure 2, with the pointed end of the penetrating bar extending into the tubular part of the substantially U-shaped portion of the head. When the pointed end of the penetrating bar is located in the head as specified and shown in Figure 2, the penetrating bar will be prevented from accidentally moving into an unfastened position or disengaged from the keeper. A movement of the head on the main bar 5 and relative to the hook-shaped portion 8 in an opposite direction will free the pointed end of the penetrating bar so that the latter when flexed may be moved out of the guard l l for opening or unfastening the safety pin.

Portions of the material of the substantially U-shaped body are depressed or ofiset inwardly to form ribs E3 to engage with the hook-shaped portion d for retaining the head 9 either in looking or unlocking position. During the sliding movement of the head 9 in either direction, the ribs will ride over the hook-shaped portion so that the head may assume either looking or unlocking position.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing it will be seen that an improved construction of head has been provided for a safety pin wherein the head may be positioned to either lock or free the penetrating bar of the safety pin. Further, it will be seen that the head due to its construction and mounting on the safety pin will retain either its locking or unlocking position until sufficient manual force has been applied thereto as to cause the ribs it to ride in contact past the hookshaped portion from one side of the latter to the opposite side. Further it will be seen that 'when the head is in unlocking position the safety pin may be used in a like manner to any other ordinary type of safety pin and when it is desired to prevent loss of the safety pin or the accidental opening thereof, the head may be conveniently moved into locking position which will prevent the penetrating bar from moving out of the keeper.

While I have shown and described the preand having one end thereof shaped to form a keeper to receive the free end of the penetrating bar and acting to guide the free end of the penetrating bar into said head when the latter is moved in one direction with respect to the hook shaped end of the main bar for locking the penetrating bar from movement out of the keeper and meanspoacting with the hook shaped portion for releasably securing the head against movement.

2. In a safety pin, a main bar having a substantially U-shaped hook formed on one end thereof, a penetrating bar having a coil portion formed integrally with the other end of the main bar and provided with a free pointed end, a substantially U-shaped head slidable on the hook portion and a part of the main bar and having one end portion bifurcated to form spaced ears providing a keeper for the pointed end of the penetrating bar and acting to guide the latter into said head on the movement of the latter in one direction on the hook portion of the main bar to lock the penetrating bar from movement out of the keeper.

3. In a safety pin, a main bar having a substantially U-shaped hook formed on one end thereof, a penetrating bar having a coil portion formed integrally with the other end of the main bar and provided with a free pointed end, a substantially U-shaped head slidable on the hook portion and a part of the main bar and having one end portion bifurcated to form spaced ears providing a keeper for the pointed end of the penetrating bar and acting to guide the latter into said head on the movement of the latter in one direction on the hook portion of the main bar to lock the penetrating bar from movement out of the keeper, said head having indentations providing ribs internally of the head adapted to have riding contact with the hook shaped portion of the main bar for releasably securing the head either in looking or unlocking position.

4. In a safety pin a main bar having a substantially U-shaped hook formed on one end thereof, a penetrating bar having a coil portion formed integrally with the other end of the main bar and provided with a free pointed end, a substantially U-shaped headslidable on the hook portion and a part of the main bar and having one end portion bifurcated to form spaced ears providing a keeper for the pointed end of the penetrating bar end acting to guide the latter into said head on the movement of the latter in one direction on the hook portion of the main bar to lock the penetrating bar from movement out of the keeper, said head having indentations providing ribs internally of the head adapted to have riding contact with the hook shaped portion of the main bar for releasably securing the head either in locking or unlocking position, and a lip formed on the head and terminating between the ears of the keeper to act as guard for the penetrating bar and necessitating lateral flexation of the penetrating bar in order that it may move from the keeper when said head is in unlocking position.

JOHN W. HARPER. 

